sickening

adjective

sick·​en·​ing ˈsi-kə-niŋ 

ˈsik-niŋ

: causing sickness or disgust

a sickening odor

a sickening display

sickeningly

ˈsi-kə-niŋ-lē 

ˈsik-niŋ-

adverb

Synonyms

• abhorrent
• abominable
• appalling
• awful
• disgusting
• distasteful
• dreadful
• evil
• foul
• fulsome
• gross
• hideous
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrid
• loathsome
• nasty
• nauseating
• nauseous
• noisome
• noxious
• obnoxious
• obscene
• odious
• offensive
• rancid
• repellent
• repellant
• repugnant
• repulsive
• revolting
• scandalous
• shocking
• ugly

Examples of sickening in a Sentence

a sickening display of selfishness

We heard the squeal of brakes and a sickening thud.

Recent Examples on the Web

Rosemary Farm in Santa Maria, California, has struggled to get by as bird flu ravages poultry populations across the U.S., sickening and killing birds and causing egg prices to spike. —Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025

Plastic straws were also noted sticking out of sea turtle nostrils, and sickening or killing seabirds, fish, manatees, dolphins and other marine mammals. —Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2025

Every day a new person emerges as a magnificent hero or a sickening villain. —Kelsey McKinney, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2025

This whole tragic final sequence plays out with a sense of sickening inevitability, like an ugly, violent domino effect. —Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sickening

• be sickening for

Rhymes for sickening

• quickening
• thickening

Kids Definition

sickening

adjective

sick·​en·​ing

ˈsik-(ə-)niŋ

: causing sickness or disgust

a sickening sight

sickeningly adverb

Medical Definition

sickening

adjective

sick·​en·​ing ˈsik-(ə-)niŋ 

: causing sickness or nausea